Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryou Review

Title: Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryou

Genre: Historical, Romance, Time-travel 

Episodes: 20

Broadcast Period: Aug-2016 to Nov-2016

Cast: Lee Jun Ki, IU, Kang Ha Neul, Hong Jong Hyun, Kim San Ho, Yoon Sun Woo, Byun Baek Hyun, Nam Joo Hyuk, Ji Soo, 

During a total eclipse of the sun, a 25-year-old 21st century woman, Go Ha Jin (IU), is transported back in time to Goryeo Dynasty. She wakes up in the year 941, in the body of 16-year-old Hae Soo and there, she encounters the many royal princes of the ruling family. She initially falls in love with the gentle and warm 8th Prince Wang Wook (Kang Ha Neul), and later Wang So (Lee Joon Gi), the fearsome 4th Prince who hides his face behind a mask and is given the derogatory label "wolf dog". Meanwhile, rivalry and politics ensue among the princes, in a fight for the throne, as Hae Soo finds herself unwittingly caught between it all.

Throughout the drama I had a lot of problems with the plot, like major problems. One of them is the total neglecting of Go Ha jin/Hae su is from the future. We can’t really categorize this as a time-travelling drama, since the only factor about it is in the first episode where she went back in time. After that… NOTHING. Some other problems came along too, but somehow when I finished the drama, and started thinking about it, I couldn’t have felt more satisfied and in love with it. There is something about it, that kept me watching till the end, and got me hooked week after week, just waiting for a new episode. So yes, those problems I had just vanished after a while, and Moon Lovers got a special place in my heart. The actors were all so good! I loved them all, I had some problems with one of them (Ehm-Baekhyun-Ehm), but he matured throughout the drama and some character growths. Lee Jun Ki and IU became one of my favorite drama-couple this year, they had a magical chemistry that’s rare to find, maybe it’s all the tragic, dark and bloodthirsty surroundings that enhanced it all. This drama is also another drama I would recommend to everyone, saeguk fan or not! 

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Scholar Who Walks The Night Review

Title: Scholar Who Walks The Night

AKA: Scholar of the Night

Genre: Fantasy, Historical, Romance

Episode: 20

Broadcast Period: Jul-2015 to Sep-2015

Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Lee Yoo Bi, Shim Chang Min, Lee Soo Hyuk, Kim So Eun, Jang Hee Jin, Lee Soon Jae, Son Jong Hak

Set in an alternate Joseon dynasty, Jo Yang Sun (Lee Yoo Bi) is the daughter of a nobleman whose family loses everything when her father were framed for treason. To make ends meet, Yang Sun begins cross-dressing as a male bookseller, and meets the handsome and mysterious scholar Kim Sung Yeol (Lee Joon Ki). Sung Yeol is a vampire, and he continues to be haunted by the long-ago death of his first love Lee Myung Hee (Kim So Eun) once he meets Myung Hee’s present-day doppelganger: Choi Hye Ryung (Kim So Eun), an aloof nobleman’s daughter. Meanwhile, the evil vampire Gwi (Lee Soo Hyuk) resides in the royal palace and uses his powers and political machinations to prevent the Crown Prince Lee Yun (Shim Chang Min) from ascending the throne.

What’s up with all the vampire stuff in dramaland lately?! Saeguk AND vampires jut the cup of tea I longed to watch… until I actually started watching it. The storyline was good, interesting. The idea about this evil despicable vampire living under the palace, playing with the king and his ministers like puppets were genius. Even the character were dreadful. However, the whole drama is about vampires, so why make them so weak?! I just couldn’t get excited about it at all! Then the nonsense about if they don’t drink blood at full moon, they will die… is this a vamp-werewolf fusion? I don’t like it, never, just stupid. Then Lee Jun Ki, why did you choose this drama, It totally made a black spot on your career, you need to pick a whole other project next time. I don’t want to give up on you yet. And now, Lee Yu Bi, she's a good actress but I just didn't like her character in this drama. No offence to her, but I hated her character so much I just wanted to skip all her scenes. Lee Soo Hyuk and Kim so Eun were brilliant together, I guess they were the most successful and magnificent choices made by the production. In conclusion, I was disappointed much, but I managed to finish it ;)

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Bunji's Verdict

Compared to the last Lee Jun Ki drama this one was a bit better, though I am getting tired of his period dramas. I don’t understand why it has to be period dramas all the time, and I am kind of missing the “Two Weeks” Lee Jun Ki now. Anyways, I said better, not necessary good. This drama is too coincidental and is too much “Manhwa” - this is why I dislike Manga/Manhwa adaptions, they never work!  It has too many ‘cartoonish’ elements and as I say, everything and everyone is too coincidental. Even though every actor fits their character perfectly: Jun Ki looks like a handsome undead, so does Soo Hyuk. And they couldn’t find anyone looking more like prince Yi San than Chang Min. Unfortunately, everything else about this drama is a mess. I have to disagree with Kamji - the background story is dumb, I mean it takes them so long to figure anything out.  The characters have no consistency and have bad growth. And I also disagree with Kamji on the second couple. - they were SO boring. Everyone was to be honest. I also felt that the lead actress was an idiot, SPOILER ALERT: Jun Ki’s character changes sooooo many times in front of her, and what she doesn’t notice? What the…

Anyways... My rating is based on the actors and their constant fight to “fix” this drama, unfortunately they fail, but watching them is quite worth the watch - and also I have to give their seriousness some credit.

All in all, not something I would recommend, but the acting is alright and worth a shot in this drama

☆☆☆ / 3 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Two Weeks Review

Title: Two Weeks

Genre: Melodrama, mystery, crime, action, thriller, romance, family

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2013-Aug to 2013-Sept

Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Park Ha Sun, Kim Jae Kyung and Ryu Soo Young.

Living as low paid gangster Jang Tae San (Lee Jun Ki) had given up on life, considering himself as “trash”. Having gone to prison two times for his boss, Tae San was allowed to do whatever he wants to do - and that is basically living from one day to another. One day his ex-girlfriend Seo In Hye (Park Ha Sun) shows up in front of him asking him to be a donor to her daughter. At first Tae San is shocked she would ask him, but then she tell him that the daughter was born 8 years ago, when the two were dating. Now Tae San has a daughter, and she wants him to help her. At first he doesn’t like the idea of him being a father, until he meets her, and falls for her.

At the very moment while finding out that he is a match for the bone marrow transplant; a girl gives Tae San a camera, which Tae San by accident just puts in his pocket. He then leaves to find out that the date is set two weeks from that day on, so he cannot get any blood infection as it might hurt the possibility to transplant. But when his boss murders the girl that had given Tae San the camera, he decides to frame  Tae San for it, and letting him take the fall like he used to.

When Tae San is found at the crime scene with his fingerprints on the murder weapon, he is arrested and almost killed behind bars. So Tae San decides to become a fugitive in order to stay alive till his daughter’s surgery and at the same time clear his name…

After reading the summary I thought it was like the Japanese drama Runaway, so I was not very keen on watching it. But the drama is quite good, and I really like Lee Jun Ki, especially having him as a dad, and the female actress Park Ha Sun was amazing, incredible acting.

The story is very action packed and makes sense throughout the storyline. Even if it becomes a bit draggy in the long run, it is better than most dramas of the same genre and type - pretty great. I really don’t understand why it wasn’t more popular, but also I didn’t like the ending - the annoying idea of a happy ending, but I guess that’s what Koreans see as a happy ending. 

Okay, so do I recommend it? Yes, it is fitting everyone.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Kamji's Verdict
I started watching this drama, when half of it already aired, I really wasn’t expecting anything from it so I thought why not just start it. To understand this you have to know that I would rather not start an ongoing drama than not watching it at all, haha that sounded complicated. Nevertheless, I started this, and phew what a roller coaster of emotion I got there… I really loved this drama, everything about it was great, somehow I got blinded by it so I wouldn’t see any fault in it, therefor I have nothing bad to say, only that this is a recommendable drama, and it would be really stupid to leave this out of your to-watch list (if you haven’t already watched it). Honestly, I loved this drama because it showed exceptional character development that I have never seen in any other drama. Action packed from start to finish!! And the love story, so real, so awkward, so painful, but for me the real love story was between the father and the daughter, and that worked out just fine for me. Kurigu.. Can I say how happy I was to see Song Jae Rim as an assassin? I was very pleased ;)

☆☆☆☆☆ / 5 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥♥ / 5 out of 5 hearts

Time Between Dog and Wolf Review

Title: Time between Dog and Wolf

Genre: Action, Romance, police

Episodes: 16

Broadcast period: 2007-Jul to 2007-Sep

Cast:  Lee Jun Ki, Nam Sang Mi and Jung Kyung Ho

Kay lives with his mother in Thailand who works as a prosecutor, and deals with the Thai-Korean mob. She made a promise with Kay that when she finally is able to deal with it completely they’ll return to Korea together. He lost his father at a very young age: he was an agent in the Korean force, but due to a secret assignment he lost his life, and is nowhere to be found, so Kay has never really gotten to know about him from his mother.  He meets Ari, a rich girl whose father is a gangster, but the daughter has never been involved in that business, but Ari’s mother is fed up with it so she seeks comfort in her house bends friend, and the two start an affair. Ari and Kay become close friends, but when Ari’s father finds out about the affair, he is keen on killing the lover, so Ari and her mother are forced to leave Thailand. At the same time Kay’s mother’s arrest goes wrong, and they are unable to arrest anyone useful, but leave’s a mark on Kay’s mothers back. That same evening Kay’s mother finally decides to tell Kay about his father, only to be killed in front of Kay, by a masked gangster who happens to be Ari’s father.

10 years pass, Kay, now Lee Soo Hyun (Lee Jun Ki) lives with his mother’s friend and the family with their son Kang Min Gi (Jung Kyung Ho), both with a good relationship. The two became trainees at the Korean National Force, like their father.  Even though Soo Hyun is a better police officer than Min Gi, the two’s relationship never had a stain, until Min Gi falls for a girl, who happens to be Ari, now Seo Ji Woo (Nam Sang Mi), whom Soo Hyun reconnects with…

I sort a feel bad for the rating, but I really am having a hard time with rating this drama. I have had the toughest time watching it. I actually found every episode long, and stuffy, not to mention draggy. Started watching it because of Lee Jun Ki, and was disappointed honestly. The Lee Jun Ki in this drama is over acting, way too much, and the chemistry with the lead actress is depressingly non-existent. I really didn’t like her character, tried, but unsuccessful. The one I like was Jung Kyung Ho, even though I don’t like the actor (or didn’t, now I do) - and that is because of his character, and decent acting.

The story is well thought, but just becomes… not boring but not catchy…  Some people might like it, I really think they would, loads of action and the entire revenge idea (reminds me a bit of City Hunter - just more messed up).

☆☆½/ 2½ out of 5 stars

♥♥½ / 2½ out of 5 hearts

Arang and the Magistrate Review

Title: Arang and the magistrate

AKA: Arang / Arang Magistrate Story / Arang: Magistrate’s Chronicle

Genre: Historical, Comedy, Romance

Episodes: 20

Broadcast period: 2012-Aug to 2012-Oct

Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Shin Min Ah, Yun Woo Jin and Yoo Seung Ho.

“The time was the middle of the Joseon period. Man's ambition reached far extremes, the world became chaotic, and nature became distressed. In the midst of such chaos, the boundary between this world and the world beyond ceased to exist. The dead stayed to roam about freely. The ghosts of the dead can see the living, but the living cannot see the dead. However, there was one man who was able to see ghosts. In search of his mother, who disappeared three years ago, he sets out for Miryang.” (taken from the introduction)

While looking for his missing mother in the mountains, Kim Eun Oh (Lee Jun Ki) meets a ghost called Arang (Shin Min Ah), whom he pretends not being able to see. He is used to being asked favors from ghosts since he’s able to see them, so he pretends not to hear nor see them. Arang tells him her story thinking he doesn’t hear her, of her waking up as an ghost on her way to the Styx River(on the way to the afterlife, the dead must cross the river), not remembering who she is and how she died, she manages to run away.

Later on she realizes that he is able to see ghosts, so she decides to make him into a Magistrate of the very city he is in, without him knowing it. Eun Oh, now a magistrate, refuses to help her, until he notices a hair pin that belonged to his mother in her hair. Now the question is why is his mother’s hair pin on a dead woman’s head? He reluctantly agrees to help her, but soon they find out that it is not a typical death, and the entire city seems off somehow…

It’s actually good, honestly. I don’t like historical or period dramas if you wish, mainly because I don’t get any of the society and whatever that involves. Actually the entire “after death” was much easier to understand, even though it was my first time hearing about it, than the society of the Joseon Korea. Like, it’s so easy being called a traitor, heck death happens ALL the time, by simply 2-3 words, ridiculous. Anyway.. I love Shin Min Ah, I love Lee Jun Ki, and I love them together, LOL. Good actors make good drama, so I did look forward to it, and enjoyed it. I have to admit, I was bored when the “bad guys” came on screen, but all in all, pretty enjoyable. Also I found myself on edge, and totally hyper of the Magistrat, while he kicks ass - politically aswell as physically. Hehe.. To sum up, I recommend!

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts

Iljimae Review

Title: Iljimae
Genre: Historical, Romance  
Episodes: 20  
Broadcast period: 2008-May to 2008-Jul
Cast: Lee Jun Ki, Han Hyo Joo, Lee Young Ah and Park Shi Hoo.

Iljimae is a thief whose face is unknown: he steals from corrupt government officials and gives it to the poor. The people love and support him, but the King and his nobles hate him, and want to catch him.

Several years ago the nobleman Lee Won Ho was assassinated, with his son Geom watching it from inside a closet. The assassination was ordered by the king, after he was told a fortune: that in the nobleman Lee Won Ho’s house there is a person who is as bright as the sun, and will be adored by the people. Thinking it is Lee Won Ho, the king orders the assassination. After the incident, Geom is adopted by a retired thief, and when he meets his mother once again, he sees that she is an outcast and she encourages him to act like he doesn’t know her, so he doesn’t become an outcast like her. Because of these misfortunes, Geom loses his memories, and forgets his young days.

In our current time, Geom now Yong (Lee Jun Ki) is starting to get his memory back, and sets out to find his older sister, only to see her captured and hanged. By this he swears revenge, to find the people responsible for the murder of his father and sister. The only thing he remembers is the emblem on the killer's sword, which leads him to disguise himself as Iljimae and find justice for his destroyed family.

After 4 years I’ve finally finished the drama. Wow, it really has taken me this long! Not because it’s bad or anything, I just didn’t love it. Well, historical drama isn’t really my thing… Even though the love story is sweet I didn’t like or agree on the main couple. And that might have something to with me loving the supporting actress. Bong Sun. Seriously, she was my favorite in the entire drama that might also be the reason for me not really liking the ending. Sort of half assed, but on the other hand, the rest of the people’s lives are pretty cool… Hmm, my rating is based on the overall drama, even though I’m biased..

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥ / 3 out of 5 hearts

Jenji's verdict
Contrary to Bunji I really like historical dramas, and this one was definitely one of the good historical dramas. Even though yes of course as usual there is the guy and the girl who is his best friend and she loves him but he loves another one, typical yes, but still good. The ending though was a bit weird, but not THAT bad. I like the story and the people in it and I actually finished it in a few days, which means it keeps you interested (or me at least). Considering its from 2008 I really enjoyed it because I seriously cant watch "old dramas" even though its just 4 years. I dont think I have anything bad to say about the drama, it was a bit slow in the beginning, I mean they show a bit of the ending, and they you are like waiting for that to happen but it only does in the end, lol. But its a slow, relaxing drama. Nice historical.

☆☆☆☆ / 4 out of 5 stars

♥♥♥♥ / 4 out of 5 hearts